Ageing infrastructure threatens NDP6 delivery

Namport is racing to modernise ageing infrastructure before Namibia’s emerging oil, gas and green hydrogen industries place even greater pressure on its ports, CEO Andrew Kanime has warned.

Speaking at a CEOs’ dialogue with President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah recently, Kanime said state-owned enterprises should not simply say they are ready to implement the sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), but must demonstrate tangible results.

Kanime cited survey findings showing that 75% of public enterprises considered themselves ready or very ready to support the implementation of NDP6.

“The public out there are actually not interested in whether we are ready. They are interested in real outcomes,” Kanime said.

Namport has aligned its integrated strategic and annual business and financial plans directly with NDP6, he noted.

“We are really focusing our energy and resources on expanding and modernising port infrastructure,” he said, stressing that the aim is not only to expand but also to modernise.

Kanime also identified funding as one of the major challenges, which he said would require billions of Namibia dollars.

“Government alone would not be in a position to avail that kind of capital, given the competing priorities within the country,” Kanime explained.

Namport is thus prioritising the mobilisation of private capital and transitioning towards a landlord port model.

Water for all

Meanwhile, NamWater CEO Abraham Nehemia said the water utility faces similar hurdles.

"NamWater’s bulk infrastructure, most of it, is inherited from the pre-independence era. You can already imagine how old these schemes are,” he told the president.

He said NamWater faces a “big task” to ensure all industries and communities have access to water.

“When the demand goes up, then you need to supply more water. And if you put more water through an old pipeline, it bursts. These are the problems that we are already facing,” Nehemia said.

Nevertheless, significant progress has been achieved, he added, with the old infrastructure upgraded and new pipelines being laid.

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